Tale of Hussain's Martyrdom
Part 16 - Imam Hussain in the Battlefield
After he had buried the baby, he met in duel with many a man who
never stood a chance of emerging alive. He then charged the enemy troops who did
not stand their ground in the face of his attacks.
Thereupon Omar bin Sa'ad yelled at the crowd, "Mind! He is
the son of the exterminator of the Arabs. Set upon him from every
direction." They rained him with 4,000 arrows. The soldiers cut him off
his camp. He shouted, "0 followers of Abi Sufian! If you arc godless and
you do not dread the Day of Judgement be free in his world and recall your
ancestry if you c]aim to be Arab". Shimr exclaimed, "What are you
saying, son of Fatimah?" Hussain replied, "I am the one who is
fighting you, and the women are not at fault. So long as I am alive, forbid
your insolent thugs from harassing my inviolable".
Shimr acceded to his request, whereupon the enemy soldiers
targeted him. A fierce fighting raged. Since he was very thirsty, he attacked
the flank of the army which was sealing off the River Euphrates. He managed to
disperse them and make his way to the river. Once he was in the water, he
extended his hand to drink. A caller shouted, "Do you enjoy drinking water
whilst the integrity of your family is being violated?" He let the water
spill from his hands without drinking, and returned to the tents.
Imam Hussain bade his family farewell for the second time and
ordered them to show forbearance saying, "Get ready for affliction, and be
reassured that Allah is your protector; He will guard you against the evil of
the enemy, turn your mishap into good, chastise your enemy with all sorts of
torment, and compensate you for this tragedy with a plethora of bounties and dignity.
So do not complain, and do not utter that which may degrade your lofty
prestige".
Hussain turned to his daughter Sukaina who was standing aloof,
crying and lamenting. He stood by her showing sympathy and solace.
"To lay down life, he forward surged,
Upon the foe, a lion converged.
Bedecked was he by an aureole crown,
Immortal fashioned from entrenched renown.
A conundrum he was indeed,
Signified glory, though heart did bleed
Splendid, dignified, distinguished,
Tormented, distraught, hurt, anguished.
Though with chivalry, to the end, he fought,
The renegades got the prize, sought"
"The job concluded, the camp ransacked,
For final departure, the hoodlums packed.
They called my guests by the 'prisoners' name,
As prisoners left, as guests who came!)
With 'watery eyes'; and heaving swell,
(Shattered my being) I said, farewell".
A soul searing, sad finale
Woeful 'tis, but a glorious tale.
Tale of Hussain's Martyrdom
Part 17 - Surrounded by the enemies of Islam
Omar bin Sa'ad yelled, "Woe unto you! Attack him while he is
busy with himself and his family. By the Almighty! Once he is free neither your
right nor your left flanks would be more lucky." They swooped on him,
raining him with arrows which were so abundant that they lodged in to the tent
ropes; some found their way to the women's mantles, startling and causing them
to cry and enter the tent; they looked at Hussain in the expectation that he
might do something. Imam Hussain attacked the enemy like a roaring lion, No
sooner he could engage anyone he left him dead. He received many wounds all
over his body mainly as a result of arrows.
He returned to his position, repeating the saying, "There is
neither power nor strength save in God Almighty". He asked for water,
Shimr answered, "You are not going to taste it until you enter hell
fire!" Another one called him, "0 Hussain! can you not see the waters
of the River Euphrates flow, glittering like the belly of a snake? You are not
going to drink from it till you die of thirst". Imam Hussain invoked God,
"0 Lord! Let him die of thirst". It was then reported that the man
used to ask for water, once he drank, the water gushed out of his mouth. He
continued thus until he perished of thirst.
Abul Hutoof al-Ju'fai shot Hussain with an arrow which lodged
into his forehead, Hussain took it off causing the blood to stream down his
face, whereupon he said, "0 Lord! You are witnessing the transgression
against me by your sinful creatures. 0 Lord! Do not let anyone of them get away
with it. Kill them all and do not let anyone of them live on the face of the
earth. Never forgive them their trespasses."
He shouted, "0 Bunch of evil! Shame on you. What bad
guardians of the household of the Prophet you turned out to be. Since there is
no man of my band left, you are not going to be deterred from killing anyone
after me, for killing me would make it a forgone conclusion. By God! I hope
that Allah bestow on me martyrdom, and avenge my death whence you do not
expect."
Al-Hosein said, "How is he going to exact revenge on
us?" Imam Hussain said, "He will sow enmity amongst you, shed your
blood, and pour down punishment upon you, pouring it in abundance".
As he was weakened, he paused to rest. A man hurled him with a
stone hitting him on the head causing the blood to stream down his face. He
took out a piece of cloth to wipe the blood from his face, whereupon another
archer aimed at him with a three-pronged arrow; it lodged into his chest in the
area of the heart. He said, "In the name of Allah, by Allah, and following
the path of the Apostle of Allah". He then raised his head towards the sky
and said, "0 Lord! You know full well that they are killing a man there is
not on the face of the earth, a son of the daughter of the Prophet, save
him!!".
He pulled out the arrow causing the blood to gush out. He put his
band underneath the gaping wound. When it was filled with blood he threw it
towards the sky and said, "My only solace is that what has befallen me is
in the way of Allah". It was reported that not a single drop of that blood
fell down. He filled it again. This time be stained his head, face, and beard
with it saying, "I want to meet Allah and my grandfather in this state -
splattered with blood".
Since losing blood weakened his body, he sat on the ground hardly
lifting his head, whereupon Malik bin an-Nisr approached him, called him names,
and hit him with his sword on his head, which was covered with a burnoose.
The burnoose was drenched with blood. He took of the burnoose,
wrapped his turban on the cap and said, "May Allah deprive you of eating
with your right hand, and gather you [on the Day of Judgement] with the
oppressors".
Hani bin Thubait al-Hadhrami was quoted as saying, "I was
one of a group of ten people when Hussain was killed. I was looking to a boy
from the household of Hussain, who was wearing a shirt and loin cloth; two
rings dangling from his ears, clutching to a shaft; he was distraught turning
left and right. A horsemen headed towards him, leaning over the boy and hitting
him on the head causing his death". The boy was Mohammed bin Abi Sa'eed
bin Aqeel bin Abi Talib. His mother was overwrought by the spectacle of
witnessing the killing of her son.
After a short while the enemy troops came back to Hussain who was
still in a sitting position for he was overcome by the severity of his wounds.
Abdullah bin al-Hassan, an eleven-year-old boy looked towards his
uncle only to see him surrounded by the enemy. He rushed towards his uncle
after he managed to break free from his aunt, Zainab, When he arrived at the
scene near his uncle, Bahr bin Ka'b descended his sword to hit Hussain. The boy
yelled at him, "0 son of the bad woman! Are you dealing a blow to my
uncle?" He hit the boy who lift his arm to protect his head causing it to
be severed. The boy shouted, "0 uncle!" and fell into his uncle's
lap.
Hussain embraced him and said, "0 nephew! Be patient at what
has befallen you and consider it as a blessing for Allah, the Exalted will
reunite you with your noble ancestors". He then raised his hands in
supplication and said, "0 Lord! If you had granted them enjoyment for a
while, cause them to divide among themselves, disperse them into sects
following different ways, do not let the rulers be pleased with them for they
called on us so that they may be among our partisans, instead they transgressed
against and killed us".
Harmalah released an arrow towards the boy, whilst he was in his
uncle's lap, and slew him.
Imam Hussain, fatally wounded, was left lying for a considerable
time.
What prevented them from finishing him off sooner was the fact
that every tribe was relying on the other to do the job i.e. each tribe hated
to be seen as the one which killed Hussain.
Shimr yelled, "Why are you standing idly by? The man is
critically wounded. Attack and finish him off".
Zar'a bin Shariek hit him on the shoulder blade; al-Hosein shot
him in the mouth; another hit him on the shoulder, Sinan bin Anas lodged his
spear in the area of the collarbone, then in his chest; he also shot him with
an arrow in the throat, Saleh bin Wahab stabbed him in the loin.
Hilal bin Nafi' was reported as saying, "I was standing near
Hussain as he was on the brink of dying. By God, I never saw a person getting
killed with own blood all over his body in a better state than Hussain. His
face was exuding with light and awe! I was so overwhelmed by the radiance of
his face that I refrained from contemplating killing him! He asked for water;
they did not give him any to drink".
The torrent stem, keep him at bay
Hold your own, and win the day.
Hussain observed him, did not move
Beckoning the renegade; to act and prove.
Face to face when Hussain he saw
The foe was overwhelmed, with awe.
Ravished he was by the dazzling scene
Such angelic face had never seen
With celestial sheen his visage bestowed
In propitious lustre glistened, glowed
So intense was the divine hue
His sight could not endure to view.
By the glorious sight he was dazed
But looked on still; gaped and gazed.
Tale of Hussain's Martyrdom
Part 18 - Hussain is killed on the Plains of Kerbala
One from amongst the crowd said to him, "You are not going
to drink water until you enter hell fire, whereupon you can drink from its
boiling water". Imam Hussain replied, "I do not enter hell fire, but
enter unto my grandfather, the Apostle of God and stay with him in his own
house (in the seat of honour with a most powerful King) and complain to him of
that which you have done to me and your transgression against me". All
were very furious at his remarks as if Allah did not instil a grain of mercy in
their hearts.
When his condition deteriorated, he raised his eyes towards the
sky in supplication and said, "0 Lord! You are mighty in Prowess, the
Supreme, the Possessor of every greatness and glory, not in need of the
creation, having mastery over everything; Your mercy is high, Truthful in your
promise, Giver of bounty and favour; You are close to those who invoke You;
encompassing all Your creation; You accept repentance from those who repent,
capable of exacting Your will, Having full knowledge of what You are after,
Thankful when thanked, remembering when remembered. I invoke You as I am in
dire need, ask You as I am poor! I seek refuge in You for I am fearful, weep
for I am grieved; I rely on Your succour for I am weak; I put my trust in You
alone. 0 Lord! You are the Arbiter between our folk and ourselves for they
trespassed against us, let us down, betrayed us, and killed us not
with-standing our kinship to Your Prophet whom You chose for delivering the
Message and made the repository of revelation. Alleviate our predicament and
relieve our suffering for You are the Most Merciful".
"Forbearance with what You have destined is our solace, 0
Lord! There is no god but You. You are the Deliverer of the distressed. I have
no God save You. Surely, You are the only Refuge for those who are without
one."
"There is no other one to worship apart from You.
Forbearance with that which you have resolved is our consolation. 0 Lord! You
are the Everlasting. 0 Lord! You are the Resurrector of the dead. 0 Lord! You
are Watching over every soul and what it did. Adjudge between me and them for
You are the best of judges".
Hussain's horse started roaming around Imam Hussain and staining
its forehead with his blood, whereupon Ibn Sa'ad yelled saying, "Stop the
horse as it is a thoroughbred of the horses of the Apostle of Allah." A
company of horsemen surrounded him. He started galloping and kicking with his
forelegs killing some men and horses. Ibn Sa'ad ordered the soldiers to leave
the horse and to see what it was going to do. When the horse calmed down and
felt secure enough, it went back to Hussain's blessed body staining its
forehead with his blood, smelling him, and neighing loudly.
Imam Abu Ja'far al-Baqir was quoted as saying, "The horse
was saying: What an injustice was done to the grandson of the Prophet by his
own umma (community)."
His horse, in ecstasy, danced and pranced
by his equestrian, was entranced
A perfect horse, sans any defect
With his head high, and neck erect.
Had tiger's courage, and panther's zeal
His sinews were akin to pure steel
A thoroughbred's, all traits sustained
His sire's blood, in the veins maintained.
By innate courage, he was led
In the thick of battle, had no dread
His prancing steps, and goodly shape
The admiring eyes, with awe, did gape,
His amble faultless, a rhythmic flow,
His steps measured, neither fast nor slow.
His gait, the art of music graced
Was on rhythm, and tempo based.
The aggressor's will, to act, ruptured
He was charmed, dazzled, captured.
A feeble blow, the dastard tired
Hussain parried, with contempt defied
repeated strokes, the renegade rained
Hussain remained placid, calm, restrained
He hurled defiance, and braved it out
Thus paved the way ft)r the dastard's rout.
To keep his ground, stood firm
His superior hold he did confirm.
With lofty demeanour, at a serene pace
Hussain advanced, with chivalrous grace.
Moved ahead, with careless ease
Less to liquidate him, more to tease
The youth, in panic, turned his pack.
The horse, still neighing, then headed towards camp. Once it was
there, the women saw the horse stained with blood and its saddle twisted, they
came out from their tents spreading their hair! unveiling their faces, beating
their cheeks, screaming, seeing their glory vanish, and spontaneously taking to
the place where Imam Hussain fell and died, headed by Zainab who was wailing On
arriving at the scene, she put her hand under his body raising it to the level
of her breast where she left the body to rest. She said, "0 Lord! Accept
this sacrifice from US".
In the meantime Omar bin Sa'ad with a group of soldiers were
approaching the scene as Imam Hussain was at the point of death. Zainab shouted
at him, "Yes Omar! Abu Abdillah is being killed and you are standing
watching him perish?!" He turned his face away from her with his tears
streaming down his beard.
She said, "Woe unto you! Is there not amongst you a
Muslim?" Nobody replied! Thereupon Ibn Sa'ad ordered the crowd,
"Descend upon him and administer the mercy shots to him". Shimr
initiated the attack; he kicked him, sat on his chest, got hold of his blessed
beard, dealt 12 sword blows to his body, and finally beheaded him.
Tale of Hussain's Martyrdom
Part 19 - Epilogue
Eternity will, his name preserve,
A place of honour reserve (conserve)
In radiance, divine, glows his name,
Kindles the universe, the eternal flame.
Devilry tide, vehemently, surged.
To Hussain we owe, our piety do
Adore and love his chivalry too
perpetual, endless, boundless, same,
Glorious, for ever, prevail his fame.
Tempests, storms and gales, did blow,
This taper retained its divine glow,
Howled tornadoes, did hurricanes rush,
This eternal bloom they could not crush,
Forward, forward, on and on,
Kept on the move Hussain's caravan.
Hussain did achieve his basic aim,
(an eternal triumph, he could claim)
For the faith's (tomorrow), his (today) he gave,
Laid down his life, Islam did save.
With pride and love, his name we quote
Who, with his own blood, history wrote.
His deeds will (neglect) never meet.
Oblivion, his name will not greet.
This tale of endurance, hardihood
has the test of time well stood
TRUTH
(An Eternal Message From Kerbala)
No brutal force 'gainst truth can work
Truth will conquer, will not shirk.
'Tis the greatest dike, to hold back sin
The silencer, of the mundane din.
The spiritual health, it will restore
For moral wounds; 'tis a surest sure.
Truth will strengthen sickly souls
Plug, in the conscience, gaping holes.
Truth, is not an elusive ghost
'Tis, to the righteous, a constant host.
Truth, in its exalted mood
Is clearest mind's amplitude.
"Infinite" is there in every man
Immortalise "finite" it can.
Truth, doesn't perish at death
It does outlive the human breath.
Redeemed, through truth, all can be
XYZ and you and me.
Truth, being infinitely great
Both kings and beggars, upon it wait.
Truth, individuals and Nations, makes
An infinite joy in the task it takes
Glows the universe, with its beams
Sun and moon, are truth it seems.
if the human perception's doors are clean
In every beauty truth is seen
Truth is proud, to know so much
Its every move has wisdom's touch.
LIVE LIKE ALI DIE HUSSAIN!!
READ QURAN
Contributed by SYED ABBAS HAIDER RIZVI